The simple present and the present progressive both describe present time. However, they describe present time in different ways.

FUNCTION Simple Present versus Present Progressive

Ã¯ÂÂ® The simple present tense describes habits, routines, and things that are generally or always true.

They usually get up at 7:30. (routine) Stress affects our personality. (generally true)

Adverbs of frequency (see Chapter 1) often occur with the simple present tense. These time expressions also often occur with the simple present tense: every day, in the afternoon, at night, most of the time, on Saturdays.

Ã¯ÂÂ® The present progressive tense describes temporary actions happening at the moment of speaking or over a longer period of time in the present.

Right now, he's concentrating. We are working slowly these days.

(moment of speaking) (over a longer period of time)

The following time expressions often occur with the present progressive: these days, (right) now, today, tonight, this week, this semester, this month, this year.

GRAMMAR BRIEFING 2:Verbs with Stative Meaning

Verbs with Stative Meaning

Some verbs have stative (not active) meanings.

The Syllabus

The house diagram employed by french language teac...

English: Tempora grammaticae verborum - Grammar te...

These verbs do not usually occur in the progressive.

FORM AND FUNCTION Verbs with Stative Meaning

Ã¯ÂÂ® Verbs with stative meaning describe states, not actions.

Ã¯ÂÂ® Some common verbs with stative meaning are:

IdeasAttitudesEmotionsPossessionsSensesDescriptions

forget need hate have hear be

know want like owe see cost

remember love own smell look

think sound seem

understand taste weigh

Ã¯ÂÂ® These verbs do not usually occur in the progressive, even when they are describing something happening right now.

You seem nervous at the moment. NOT: You are seeming nervous at the moment.

Ã¯ÂÂ® Some of the verbs above have both a stative meaning and an active meaning. When they have...

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